Artificial — is something which is not natural. Its original sense, related to artifact and artifice , refers to a product of human endeavor; a more English but gendered synonym is man made . It is also used to mean false , a substitute for the real thing, as … Wikipedia

artificial — artificial, factitious, synthetic, ersatz mean not brought into being by nature but by human art or effort or by some process of manufacture. They are not often interchangeable because of differences in some of their implications and in their… … New Dictionary of Synonyms

Artificial — Ar ti*fi cial, a. [L. artificialis, fr. artificium: cf. F. artificiel. See {Artifice}.] 1. Made or contrived by art; produced or modified by human skill and labor, in opposition to natural; as, artificial heat or light, gems, salts, minerals,… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

artificial — ar·ti·fi·cial adj 1 a: made by humans artificial accessions compare natural b: caused or produced by a human and esp. social or political agency an artificial price advantage 2: arising through operation of law … Law dictionary

artificial — (adj.) late 14c., in the phrase artificial day part of the day from sunrise to sunset, from O.Fr. artificial, from L. artificialis of or belonging to art, from artificium (see ARTIFICE (Cf. artifice)). Meaning made by man (opposite of natural) is … Etymology dictionary

artificial — [ärt΄ə fish′əl] adj. [ME &LT; OFr &LT; L artificialis &LT; artificium, ARTIFICE] 1. made by human work or art, not by nature; not natural 2. made in imitation of or as a substitute for something natural; simulated [artificial teeth] 3. unnatural… … English World dictionary